The Gambia’s New President Faces First Popularity Test At Parliamentary Elections

On Thursday, Gambians will vote for members of their one-chamber parliament. They are the first polls since Yahya Jammeh left power after more than 22 years as president.

Mr Jammeh sparked a political and constitutional crisis by refusing to leave office following his defeat in the December 2016 presidential election.

He finally headed for exile on 21 January after neighbouring countries threatened to remove him by force.

His successor Adama Barrow, who is a political novice, has pledged to carry out political, security and media reforms.

As part of his proposed reforms, he is setting up a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate abuses committed under Mr Jammeh’s rule.

At the last Parliamentary elections held in 2012 Mr Jammeh’s then-ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) won 43 out of 53 seats in 2012.

The opposition largely boycotted the polls and one opposition member was elected. Four independent candidates also won seats.

The president had the power to select a further five members, which he did.

A coalition of seven parties that supported President Barrow during the presidential election has collapsed.

And the list of parliamentary candidates shows parties formerly in the coalition vying against each other in various constituencies.

President Barrow used to be a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP), but quit after being chosen as the opposition coalition’s presidential candidate so as not to be seen as favouring one party within the grouping.

Mr Jammeh’s APRC remains intact, and is taking part in the election as an opposition party for the first time since he seized power in a 1994 coup.